Sustainability Spotlight: Long Beach Environmental Alliance

The Long Beach Environmental Alliance is a community organization that seeks to connect individuals and groups in the Long Beach area dedicated to addressing pollution and climate change. Co-founders Sokha Ny and John Kindred started the Long Beach Environmental Alliance in 2017 when they realized there was a need for more advocacy for environmental policy that focused on pollution reduction. Their efforts encourage local solutions to environmental issues through action, passion, and advocacy in the city of Long Beach.

“Our goal is to foster a community where various groups work together to accomplish the end goal of creating a healthier environment for people and all living beings,” said co-founder Ny. “We want people from all walks of life to feel empowered and to get involved with sustainability efforts.”

Since 2017, Long Beach Environmental Alliance has hosted 36 beach cleanups at Alamitos Beach, eight Cigarette Butt Awareness and Cleanup Days, three drug takeback events, and has collected over 100 pounds of cigarette butts across Long Beach. The Long Beach Environmental Alliance has assisted in the adoption of several environmental policies in the past three years, including the Expanded Polystyrene Ordinance banning the use of EPS foam and plastic #6 in single-use food and beverage containers and the Outdoor Patio Dining Ordinance that implemented new smoking regulations on outdoor patios. They are currently working with Long Beach City Council districts to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products and to bring Community Choice Energy to Long Beach.

Amid the current coronavirus pandemic, the Long Beach Environmental Alliance is pursuing ways to continue to connect to the Long Beach community. They continue to host small socially-distanced cleanups and encourage residents to advocate for the environment from home by signing petitions and writing to their representatives. "We want to teach and encourage people that they have a voice and show them they have power,” said co-founder Kindred. “One way or another, we are all connected and we’re all impacted by climate change."

Alamitos Beach Cleanups are currently on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Once safer-at-home orders are lifted, they will resume their regularly scheduled cleanups every fourth Sunday from 10 – 11 a.m. The community is encouraged to reach out to the Long Beach Environmental Alliance on Facebook and Instagram to get involved and volunteer. Find more information about the Long Beach Environmental Alliance on their website, or contact Sokha Ny and John Kindred at lbenvironmental.alliance@gmail.com